Frostbite

One

Five Years After The Snap

Natasha sat outside in the pouring rain, her hood pulled down to let her red and blonde hair hang free. She had a haunted look on her face as she stared at nothing. I knew she was struggling with what Clint had been doing, who he had become.

Over the last five years, the two of us had become incredibly close. We had been close before, but not like this. She was like the sister I never had. Natasha had been a guest in our home far more than my own brother had, at least when we could drag her away from her incessant need to be doing something, anything.

I slid open the glass door to the compound's small courtyard and stepped outside. The rain around us suddenly stopped and she glanced up at me with a sad smile. My shoes splashed through the puddles quietly, and I took the seat next to her.

"You'll get pneumonia at this rate," I mused, nudging her shoulder. She chuckled, sniffling a bit.

Her hands clasped together, and she said, "Good thing I have you then, huh?"

"Where is he?"

She knew who I meant. Nat let out a shaky breath and cracked her fingers nervously.

"Rhodey said he was in Mexico. Took out a whole cartel."

My eyes widened and I replied, "Are we sure it was Clint?"

"Yes, it was him."

"We'll find him, Nat. I know it's been hard, but the old Clint has to still be in there."

"I hope we do, but it's just been so long."

"I know."

We sat in silence for several moments as she mulled over her own thoughts. I grabbed her hand reassuringly, and she squeezed mine in thanks. Many of us had been torn apart by disagreeances and heartache, but not us.

"You know, when I was still an assassin for the red room, Clint was the only one who thought I could be something more. He saw something redeemable that I never saw in myself. If it weren't for him, I'd either be dead or I'd still be the old version of myself. I owe him everything I have now."

"I doubt he sees it that way," I shook my head, "that you owe him anything. No matter what or who he is now, he's your person. It's only a matter of time before we find him. Then you can bring him back over the edge the same way he did for you."

Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she flashed a grateful smile. Natasha felt so much guilt over our failure of stopping Thanos; she wasn't fair to herself. She never stopped hoping that something would change or come to light. That we could fix what had been done. Nat might not see it, but she had become a bright light in a world still full of so much darkness and loss to so many people.

"I'm starving; I'm going to head in and make a pathetic pb and j," she laughed, standing from the bench, "But thank you, Mel."

She rested a hand on my shoulder lovingly and then disappeared inside. I should have gone in too since Steve would be here any minute. His support group meetings were normally done by now. I didn't move though, and let the rain fall again, deflecting it from myself as I sat there. I enjoyed the smell and the sound. It was soothing to my soul.

Steve suddenly appeared in the doorway, throwing it open and calling my name. I shot up, slightly panicking from the look on his face. How long had I been out here now?

"What's wrong?" I inquired hesitantly.

"You have to come see who is here."

I followed him inside and he led me down to the common room where two figures were waiting. Natasha was standing next to a jittery Scott Lang. He'd been one of the vanished. Holy hell.